


The Book

by BashfulTenrec



Series: Monkey Tries to Do Nice Things [1]
Category: The New Legends of Monkey (TV)
Genre: Gen, Humor, Monkey is doing his best, One Shot, Post-Season/Series 01, Tripitaka is a nerd with a sheltered childhood, Tripkey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-07
Updated: 2018-09-07
Packaged: 2019-07-07 22:34:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15917640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BashfulTenrec/pseuds/BashfulTenrec
Summary: Monkey finds a book written in the ancient language and gifts it to Tripitaka. She likes books, so she should appreciate the gesture. Right?





	The Book

Monkey wandered around the local market aimlessly, poking at various goods and running his hands over textiles. He was never particularly interested in these sorts of environments. For all the dense energy around the market with all the sights and sounds and smells, it was boring to him. At least he wouldn't have to wander around for long; the others had agreed to meet up with him in an hour's time. Maybe he could find a weapons merchant. Not that he needed anything other than his staff, of course, but the local craftsmanship might prove interesting. 

A stall to his right housed shelves of books on display and the merchant sat at his table poring over a novel. How dull. Monkey was surprised Tripitaka hadn't smelled the books and come running by now. He sniffed and turned to go, but something caught Monkey's eye that made him stop. 

On one of the shelves was a heavy looking book bound in a deep crimson leather. What interested him was the lettering on the spine which Monkey recognized as the ancient language. He perked up and pulled it out of the shelving to examine the cover. None of the shapes of the words in the title stood out to him or looked even remotely familiar, but the cover had a cluster of peaches on a branch lovingly etched into the leather. It seemed of good quality for its age and had enough pages for lots of words to be contained inside. He knew Tripitaka had expressed interest in getting her hands on anything written in the ancient language to practice and continue her studies, and so made up his mind to buy it for her. She would like this, he was certain.

The shopkeeper quirked an eyebrow but accepted the coins in silence before going back to his book, a sly smile on his face. Perhaps he was surprised one of his most ancient tomes that no one could actually read was finally departing from his inventory. Monkey eagerly ran off to find Tripitaka.   
  
He found her waiting at the edge of the market for Pigsy and Sandy to finish haggling with a nearby shopkeeper. Monkey swaggered up to her, unable to keep the grin off his face. Tripitaka looked up at him. 

"You seem in high spirits," she commented. 

He bounced on his toes, not even trying to hide his excitement. 

"I know you were looking for things written in the ancient language so... here you go." He thrust the book at her, and she grabbed it quickly.

"Monkey that's so kind of you!" She opened the book and flipped through it, eyes darting over the pages, becoming intensely focused. Monkey was smug. He did good. His grin faded when he saw Tripitaka's brow furrow and she flipped a few pages forward.

Her eyes widened and she hastily skipped an entire section of the book. Her eyes went even wider as her face flushed a deep scarlet and she abruptly slammed the book shut.

Monkey was puzzled. "What?"

Tripitaka cleared her throat, at this point making sure to keeping her eyes fixed away from Monkey and she handed him the book gingerly. She let out a light cough. 

"It's um. A book I'd rather not read. But thank you for the thought, Monkey."

A book she'd rather not read?

Monkey hardly thought that could be even remotely possible.

"Is that a book in the ancient language?" Pigsy had appeared over Monkey's shoulder and snatched the tome away. Sandy crowded his space to read the cover. 

"'The Nocturnal Adventures of Romierre the Unabashed, a God's Perspective to All Pleasures of the Flesh: Based on a True Story.'" Monkey's stomach dropped and his nose twitched. Sandy opened the book to a random page while Pigsy shot Monkey a withering look.

"Porn. Really?" 

"I didn't know what it said," Monkey hissed back, eyes flicking nervously over to Tripitaka, who was edging away from the trio.

"There's pictures three pages in," Sandy commented blandly, completely unruffled by the book's salacious content. She craned her neck and turned the book around. "I didn't know that could bend that way. Do you think anyone can do that or just the author?"

Monkey leaned over and examined the drawing. It was certainly... detailed.  He felt himself grow warm under the collar when his thoughts wandered to a place less than noble.

Tripitaka looked like she wanted to die. She was very intent on studying her feet, which were trying to inch her away from this conversation as quietly as possible.

"When he says all, he certainly meant it," Pigsy mused. "I think it's safe to say his preference is anything or anyone that says yes. He certainly didn't discriminate." He flipped forward and a folded page unfurled until it thumped on the ground. He fully stretched it out and examined the diagrams. "Now that's attention to detail right there. Shame I never got to meet this god. Would've loved to talk with him over a drink." 

“His lover’s cries of ecstasy a hymn in his worship,” Sandy quoted, ignoring Pigsy. She glanced at Monkey, who squirmed. “It is quite poetic, I suppose.” Tripitaka clapped her hands over her ears as Sandy continued, “Romierre traced a languid path with sensual strokes of his brush, his parchment stretched before him a pale thigh raised –”

Tripitaka let out a strained yelp and ran off.

Sandy frowned at the book. “Well at least I thought it was poetic,” she mused.

Pigsy glanced at the other two gods. "Perhaps this is a subject we shouldn't discuss in front of our young friend." They made various noises of agreement. After a moment Pigsy's expression turned sly. "Bet you wish you could read the ancient language so you could get some tips, Monkey," he teased. 

Monkey scoffed. "I don't need to read a book to know what to do. I've been told my skills are sublime."

"By how many? One inexperienced girl?" Pigsy's voice was heavy with skepticism.

“No man, woman, or god has ever complained,” Monkey boasted. “Really, the author should have consulted me.” Pigsy rolled his eyes but was smiling. Monkey puffed up with pride.

Sandy looked doubtful. “You should probably go find Tripitaka,” she finally said, deflating him. “Perhaps return this book too.”

Pigsy pulled the book away from her. "I think not. It's a relic. We should hold onto it for safekeeping."

\---

He didn't have to go far to find Tripitaka. She was shuffling along and fiddling with the wooden beads on the string tied to her belt, head down. He picked up the pace until he was alongside her. She glanced at him and quickly averted her gaze, ears turning red again. 

Monkey searched for the right thing to say. "I usually don't look through books. No real point since I can't read them. I just saw the ancient language and thought you'd be interested."

Her eyebrows arched as she probably remembered a picture or passage from the book. He did wonder at what she had read before she abruptly ended her foray into the text. 

"I didn't mean interest in that sort of thing," he added hastily, stopping in front of her while struggling to force his imagination to calm down. "I just... This is all coming out wrong. I thought I was doing a good thing," he groused unhappily. 

Tripitaka rubbed the back of her neck before her eyes met his. "It was... a kind gesture, Monkey."

Monkey's nose twitched again and he rocked nervously, searching her face. She grew up rather sheltered. He was lucky she was speaking to him at all.

"How about..." His hands moved around with his restless, embarrassed energy. "In order to avoid situations like this in the future... Can you...." his voice trailed off as his pride made his throat close up.

Tripitaka waited, even though she looked like she knew what his request was going to be. She wasn't letting him out of this easy.

Monkey swallowed hard. "Can you teach me? How to read, that is?" 

Tripitaka's face immediately lit up, and Monkey relaxed into an easy smile right back at her. The book was definitely worth it.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to my beta reader and muse, madamwithabox!
> 
> And as always, thanks for reading!


End file.
